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So who is riding where this weekend? Anyone got any exciting plans or is th weather a bit crap in the UK right now?
Of course I'm asking because I'm looking for an excuse to tell you all what I will he doing... Maybe I'm a little excited or something.
Given we seem to be getting an extended summer over here in Grenoble, there is barely any snow on the mountain tops, and although it gets pretty chilly in the shadows the days seem to pretty warm still ... As long as you stay in the sun, I'd even go as far as saying it is t-shirt and shorts riding weather.
So I thought I'd take the opportunity to go for a ride up high before the snow inevitably arrives. There are three mountain ranges that surround Grenoble, Le Vercors which has peaks of around 1800/2000m and a lot of good trails arriving almost right in the city, then La Chartreuse which is similar and has a lot of south facing descents which are good for winter riding. Le Belledonne Massif is to the south east of the city meaning most of the trails are on north facing hills and stay wet or hold the snow for a long time, but it is clear and dry for now, and has peaks of around 3000m with some proper alpine riding. I've never ventured up into this range so tomorrow I've made a plan to fluo exploring up there, riding up to le refuge de la pra and snow permitting I'll see if I can get up to Le Croix De Belledonne! That will give me a pretty epic 2500m descent back into the city! Of course it means a 2500m climb in the morning 😯 . So we will see how it goes and how high I get.
Aiming to ride dawn until dusk and set off about 7/8am to make full use of the daylight!
View of the full range
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View from the top
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Some of the trails on the way up
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I quite enjoy taking photos also and have a blog that I haven't written in for a while so I'll write a little tale of my travels afterwards I think if anyone is interested.
Got a 60k ride planned for Sunday - local trails up the the river, with a possible pub stop....
Happy days.
Brass Monkeys on Sunday 🙂
Probably a trip to Comrie Croft on Saturday morning before the rain starts again. That was last weekend's riding too, although "before the rain" ended up being my wettest ride of the year. Fully expecting that again tomorrow!
Had planned to ride on sunday morning through some of the best urban singletrack that Stoke-on-Trent has to offer but I'd much rather the Ops plans. Massif hills followed by massive beers = massive smiles.
Cx intervals today done.
Cx intervals combined with long ride (in the pissing rain) 2moz
Roadie with a small but perfectly formed group for our traditional hack to Southend on Sea for some chips, train back.
Hi Will! Tis I, Dave from QECP 🙂 Nice riding with you at Ride Slov.
Extremely jealous of your lifestyle. Well you are only young once I suppose! Great photos, and a great blog - update it!
My plans? Off out in a min to QECP as my usual Wed night ride got shifted. I expect it to be super slippy and sketchy fun!
Sat, coaching U8s footy and possible ride with lad in afternoon.
Sunday, I'll be @Tidworth Freeride Hooper Hooner DH race, which again will be super slippy!
Lots of bike cleaning me thinks
Hopefully Cx practise tomorrow, xc ride on Sunday, was about to jump on the turbo but might just go to the pub
Haha Heyup Dave, did you remember my username?
Sounds like you've got plenty going on! Wouldn't mind a bit of rain here to be honest, good bit of wet n wild weather would be refreshing! It is not bad having such big hills on your doorstep, got some plans to make the blog more of a website so will get it updated properly soon!
Hope your enjoyed your riding in Slovenia! If you want showing around some trails in Grenoble then I'd be more than willing!
I should be going for a long road ride Sunday but this will depend upon alcohol intake on Saturday. If it's kits it'll be a towpath pootle.
Nothing planned. That is all.
Shall be getting p!ssed wet through around Ramsbottom/Scout Moor etc
Nowt. Nada. Zip. Zero. Not a f-ing sausage. I fell off last Sunday and hurt me legs so I'm off the bike for a week or so. I'm a little mardy about it because the bits to build me new Meta 4X all arrived today. Harrumph 🙁 I might make a start on building it up if I can hobble to the shed ok.
Nobeerinthefridge - Member
Got a 60k ride planned for Sunday - local trails up the the river, with a possible pub stop....Happy days.
If it's dry I may be there, otherwise just a velodrome drop in tomorrow afternoon 😀
Riding with Abigale, then hosing myself down afterwards
Nothing too exciting !! .. Wifes doing a BHF 17 mile walk on the high peak trail and so ill be riding a 40 odd mile route around the area and then wait for her to finish 🙂
Planned to get up to Stavley Sunday and hit either Garburn or Nan Bield but the weather doesn't look the best at the moment , Offer from mate next door to run Guisburn with him and his brother but a little to STRAVA !!!11 for my liking
weather waiting game me thinks
6" rain and high winds forecast. Luckily I'm retired so will sit it out (party Saturday night too) and ride Peaks on Monday when we have a brief respite before another stormy week next week
Planning either the Pentland Hills or glentress / Inners tomorrow. Given the way the rain is still coming down in Edinburgh the latter seems more likely.
Covert to 1x11 tomorrow. Ride like a god on Sunday on the Ridgway.
Possibly deluded about the second statement.
Ride like a god on Sunday on the Ridgway.
Given the rain, 'slither like a devil' is prob more accurate.
If it's dry I may be there, otherwise just a velodrome drop in tomorrow afternoon
Man up fannybaws!
Working.
Was going to do the Cumbrian Cracker sportive on Sunday but it's been cancelled. Might do the TR weekend sessions 🙄
Not a lot I suspect as I cut my leg open on a nasty bit of steel on Monday (probably also covered in pigeon crap) and its now swollen & red suspect Cellulitis 🙁
I'm sure Drac will tell me to get it seen to ASAP
Nobeer - daughter now coming through for a few days from Uni so cannae come, even if it does stop raining !
A sprint into Herts & then sloppy off road return into town on Sunday morning.
I'm sure Drac will tell me to get it seen to ASAP
Minor Injuries tomorrow will be fine.
Drac - Moderator
Minor Injuries tomorrow will be fine.
Don't worry that is what I was going to do, if its not hosing down I might cycle there as I'm sure the fresh air would only do me good 🙂
Felt proper crap yesterday with everything aching and alternate hot/cold sweats
Shoulder is still fubar from commuting crash last week, so no trails that is for sure.
Might set up the turbo. 😡
Camping out (in a van) somewhere in The Lakes Saturday night then a rock route Sunday low level
Doing a CTC ride leaders workshop tomorrow, hopefully meeting a mate for a gentle roadie Peak pootle on Sunday, but looking at the forecast we may just decamp to a cafe for a huge fryup.
Quick swim round the Goyt valley
Cycling the second half of the C2C tomorrow.
Sunday, red route at Hamsterley.
Which way do you go to get up there, via Chamrousse?
My weekend is going to be a bit more humble. Just a club ride with the kiddies tomorrow afternoon in the sunshine, last hockey match before winter on Sunday.
A mate of mine on fb posted a video of some guys skating around the new pump track in St Pierre. It looks quite fun for a tarmac ribbon!
Ocrider, yeah I will take the road a good way up the take a trail the 2nd half of the ascent then come down via the col de la pra.
I was out for a loop on the road bike in La Chartreuse two weeks ago and got a nice surprised when i came across that, just out there a bit in the middle of nowhere! Looks sweet, proper pump track and a couple of sets of dirt jumps, bit of a trek to get to from the city like but if I lived in st. Pierre I'd be pretty excited about it.
Have you been out here riding or skiing?
I'll be taking the train from Sheffield to Edale and being blown home by the wind! Jealous of the OP though. We were in the vercours this summer. A stunning place that I didn't know anything about prior. The resistance museum is well worth a visit. The story of what went on there in the second war is staggering and beautifully explained there.
Good riding too both on and off road. Well worth some of your holiday time if you want somewhere in France that's on the quiet side. The col de la machine is as good a road ride as you'll find anywhere I reckon.
I've never biked there, but in my younger days a mate was at uni in Grenoble. First place I ever got a go on a 'real' snowboard was at Chamrousse in 91 or 92, so I have fond memories of dossing on his floor 🙂
Was supposed to be doing the Whinlatter off-road duathlon, but that's been postponed due to the weather forecast. Probably end up riding out to the coast on the road bikes tomorrow instead